Pennington trial began in Circuit Court in 1989

Published 12:00 am, Sunday, January 5, 2014

Jan. 11, 1989

Police and prosecutors wanted to convict Dustan Pennington on the basis of a confession they didn’t even believe, one of his attorneys told a jury as Pennington’s murder trial began in Circuit Court. But a prosecutor told the jury that Pennington told police things that only someone at the crime scene could have known. Authorities alleged that Pennington, 16, killed Lucille Betz, the night manager at Lewis and Clark Motor Lodge on Aug. 1, took money from the office and set a fire in an effort to conceal the other crimes. Pennington was charged with first-degree murder, concealment of a homicidal death, arson and burglary. Madison County Assistant State’s Attorney Richard Rybak told the jury that firefighters and police found the cord from a vacuum sweeper around Betz’ body. Pennington’s attorney, Madison County Public Defender John Rekowski, told jurors that Pennington confessed only after he was awakened by police, prevented from seeing family members and interrogated for 13 hours. When police wrote the confession that Pennington signed, police included details they thought were true at the time but were not supported by evidence. The confession also stated that Pennington did it all alone, and Rekowski said police did not believe it. The state also charged Charles Daubman, 26, of Alton, with the same crimes, Rekowski said.

Jan. 11, 1964

The changeover to a unified court system in the Third Judicial Circuit, embracing Madison and Bond counties, was made in ceremonies in Circuit Court in Edwardsville. Chief Circuit Judge James O. Monroe Jr. presided during the hourlong ceremonial session. Judge Monroe administered the oath of office to Judges Joseph A. Barr and Harold R. Clark, his colleagues on the circuit bench. Associate judges named were I.H. Streeper of Alton, Austin Lewis of Madison, Fred P. Schuman of Granite City and Foss Meyer of Bond County. The fifth associate judge was Michael Kinney of Alton, who was ill and could not attend the ceremonies.

Mallard ducks were by far the most numerous of all the birds in the Marquette Park area, according to O.C.K. Hutchinson, one of four people who conducted the annual bird count. They listed 5,500 mallards, many congregated at Swan Lake, a duck refuge where no hunting was allowed at any time of the year. One unusual find was a Great Blue Heron. The goose count was up, with 200 snow geese and 250 blue geese among the flocks swarming over Swan Lake. The bird count crew consisted of Hutchinson and his wife, Cora, Jack Buese and John Crivello. A report was sent to the National Audubon Society, an annual event since it was started in 1937 by the Rev. Father George M. Link, OFM, who was a prominent naturalist.

Jan. 11, 1939

Three hours after the body of a 22-year-old woman, apparently fatally beaten, had been found near Wood River, a man was arrested. The body had been found by Walter and Arnold Westerhold, students en route to school. Items found in her purse indicated the victim was an East St. Louis resident.

Alton Water Co. patrons were told they would notice a difference in their water by the end of the week, as the softening element was introduced into the supply. The softener was being adjusted by the chief chemist of the American Water Works & Electric Co.

The Mather Book Store on Piasa Street in Downtown Alton suffered heavy water and smoke damage to supplies and fixtures when a fire, caused by defective electrical wiring, broke out shortly after noon.

Phillip Blackburn was making repairs to the old Maerdian home on Belleview Avenue, preparatory to occupying it. The house was purchased by Rudolph Maerdian in 1852, three years after he came to Alton.

The apprehension of two youths, 19 and 15 years old, brought about the solution of three burglaries in the city and solved the break-in of the Hamer Grocery.